Eraser



(No Model.)

IfW. HBYSINGER. ERASER.

No. 509,899. Patented Dec. 5, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC W. HEYSINGER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ERASER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,899, dated December 5, 1893. Application iearetrmy 25,1893. serai No. 463,764. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ISAAC W. HEYSINGER,

delphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have made a certain new and useful Improvement in Erasers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of an eraser embodying my invention, and secured to an elongated handle, which is made into a penholder at the opposite end, and having a writing pen in position therein. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through one of my erasers, and its handle and ferrule, the handle being a simple handle for manipulating the eraser, and not provided with penholder or the like. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal transverse section of the same tool shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section similar to Fig. 2, but having the handle detached, and the ferrule secured to the tangs of the eraser along their flat external sides, the whole adapted to be applied to pencils, penholders, or other separate handles as desired. Fig. 5, is similar to Fig. 4c except that the tangs of the eraser are brought together along the middle line of said ferrule, and secured thereto along their edges, instead of their fiat surfaces, and having a cylindrical ferrule instead of one square in cross section as in Fig. 4. With tangs inserted as in Fig. 5 the handle is required to be longitudinally slotted or perforated at its end to receive the same. Fig. 6 shows one of my erasers applied to the handle end of a lead pencil or the like, the eraser, its tangs and ferrule all formed from a single piece of light metal, as will be hereinafter described.

The lettering in all the figures is uniform.

The object of my invention is to produce an eraser, adapted to remove ink-marks or the like, in which the blade thereof is so guarded as to prevent injury to persons handling the same, or coming into accidental contact with the point thereof, by forming the blade in such manner that no projecting point appears; and also to provide the blade of said eraser with a rubbing or burnishing surface adapted to smooth down or burnish the surface of the paper from which ink-marks may have been removed preparatory to again writ.

ing thereupon, thus dispensing with the need of pounce or other means for preventing the ink from spreading upon the abraded sui'- face; also to provide au eraser which may be operated to and fro along the line of the direction of the handle, for use upon the rollers of type-writing machines, instead of transversely as in ordinary eraser blades; and nally to produce a stronger, lighter and more eihcient eraser than those in general use, and one readily kept in repair, and exceedingly durable in use. In connection with said eraser I use handles, when desired, having penholders or other writing devices at their opposite ends, so that the writing and erasing tools are both in the hand at the same time, and by merely reversing the tool one or the other may be used at will. And I also, when required, make my eraser and its supporting ferrule or theV like, detached from any handle, and adapted to be used with or without such handle as may be desired.

Referring to the drawings, A is a handle to which is secured the eraser, F. The eraser consists of a strip of steel or other suitable metal formed in the shape of a partial or complete loop, having an opening through the same, and provided withtangs, F4 F5, which extend along said handle, A, and are secured there-to by the external ferrule, E, and,if desired, the pin or screw, E. The sides of the handle are charnfered olf when necessary, to receive the tangs, so that the whole forms a light, strong, resistant, and self sustaining structure. These erasing loops I prefer to make substantially circular, though they may be made of elliptical, ogee, or other shapes if desired. I also make them of different sizes; for instance, the large one shown in Fig. 2 may have a diameter of seven-eighths of an inch, while the smaller ones, shown in Figs. l and 6, for attachment to a penholder or the like, may be from one-fourth to a half inch in diameter. I prefer to make the large ones of sufficient diameter to enable the finger to be inserted to clean it out if it contains dirt or the like. The margins ofthe periphery of the loop, one or both, I form with a keen cutting edge, and preferaby form the bevel from the outside, as shown at F F2, Fig. l, as it is more easily ground to an edge, though it may be beveled from the inside, as shown in Fig.

5, or from both sides, as shown in Fig. G, if.

'ously rubbed to and fro along the direction of the line of the handle. For this purpose I provide the external surface with a smooth, polished face, between the cutting edges, F and F2.

In Fig. 2 the ferrule is made cup-shaped, the bottom of the cup, E2, being provided with lateral slots, E5 E4, through which the tangs, F4 F5, of the erasing loop, F, are inserted, so that the tangs are firmly supported against lateral displacement by the metal of the ferrule on all sides. This construction is also indicated in Figs. l, 3 and 4, but in Fig. -lthe tangs are forced in lengthwise, coming together when inserted by their elasticity, though in this form they may be seated in the ferrule through a simple center slot in the bottom of the cup, or the cup of the ferrule may be dispensed with, and a simple open sleeve substituted, the margins of the tangs supported along the inner sides thereof.

The ferrule maybe round, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, or square in cross section as in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 6 I show the whole device, excepting the handle, which may be dispensed wi th, formed of a single strip of metal, the ends concaved, and the center bent into the form of a ring, the conca ved extremities facing each other and forming a receptacle for the handle, A, when used. The concaved sides may be held by a sliding clamp-ring or band, as shown at E5, or by a rivet if desired. Vthen the clamp, E5, is used I prefer to form up small stops, E6, at the free ends of the concaved tangs, F4 F5.

It will be seen that this eraser is Well adapted to its purpose as, being held with one of its cutting edges against the paper and swept to and fro, the curvature of the loop will cut its way out of the paper on a gradual curve, thus avoiding rough scraped edges likely to occur when a flat blade is employed. Also that the entire surface along the cutting edges both above and below can be utilized, so that with a diameter of less than an inch,A the length of the cutting surfaces will be several inches, while it is at all times under ready control of the hand of the operator, the distance therefrom being small, instead of, in an elongated blade, considerable.

To produce the best results I prefer vto swing the cutting edge across the matter to be erased in a somewhat tangential direction,

instead of immediately across, as in using a scraper. It will be seen that this eraser, held vertically, is well adapted for use upon typewriting machines, as already referred to, as the open ring permits the print to be seen during the operation of the eraser, Which is worked vertically up and down against the paper resting upon the roller of the machine.

It willalso be seen that this eraser is readily reground from the outside, when its cutting edge has become dulled, and, by its double ended support in the handle, it is much stronger and firmer than a single blade, eX- tended forward from the handle. `It will also be seen that the cutting edges, which must be exceedingly keen to operate on paper smoothly, are not liable to iniiict injury either by thrusting, cutting, or falling to the floor. To cut the band the cutting loop must be rotated while grasped, as a simple draw across the` hand will notcut the skin, the 0pposite side serving as a buffer by scraping like a hoe, while the curves of the cutting edges preventthe'sharp margins from entering the flesh, when drawn across the same.

I do not rigidly confine myself to the precise form and constructionshown lin the'drawings, but modify the same to meet special requirements, as would be done by any skilledr niechanic, without departing from theprinciples of my invention, as herein shown, described, and claimed.

Having now describedy my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- l. As an article of manufacture, an eraser having its cutting blade formed into a loop, with cutting margin along the same,and supported by a suitable handle extended transversely from the periphery of said loop, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In combination with the loop, F, having the free margin, or margins thereof, formed into a cutting edge, or edges, F F2, and burnishing surfaces, F5, around the periphery of said loop, the handle, A, secured to said loop and adapted to operate the same, substantially as described.

3. An eraser consisting of ring, F, having cutting margins, F, F2, and tangs,F4 F5, in combination with handle, A, and binding ferrule, E, said ring adapted to be swept tangentially across a surface of paper or the like and remove the same with a gradually increasing depth of cut toward the center thereof, substantially as described.

4. As an article of manufacture, a curved eraser, consisting ot' a loop, F, provided with two terminal tangs, F4 F5, formed from the extension rearward of the ends of a strip of steel forming the body of said loop, the margins of said loop, F, having cutting edges, F F2, and secured to a longitudinal handle,- A, for manipulating the same, substantially as described.

5. As an article of manufacture, a curved eraser, having a strip of metal formed into a loop, F, the margins, F F2, one or both,- sharpened to a cutting edge, and rearward tangs, F4 F5, secured to a ferrule, E, and adapted to be applied to handle, A, for manipulating the same, substantially as described.

6. In combination with the loop, F, having cutting margins, F F2, one or both, andrearwardly projecting tangs, F4 F5, the handle,

IIO

A, adapted to receive said tangs, together With cup-shaped ferrule, E, having closed end, E2, and slots, Eg E4, said slots 'adapted to receive and permanently support said tangs, substantially as described.

7. In combination with the loop-shaped eraser, F, having cutting margins, F F2, and supporting tangs, F4 F5, the handle, A, and penholder, B C, or equivalent Writing device, B C', the Whole constructed to operate substantially as herein shown and described.

8. In combination with the loop eraser, F, having cutting edges, F F2, the extremities of said open ring formed into tangs, F4 F5, and adapted to be secured to handle, A, the clamp slide, E5, adapted to embrace said tangs 

